Reflecting on Sunday's sermon based on Romans 15:1-13, I see a connection between the rift of the Gentile-converted-Christians and the Jewish-converted-Christians and SHIFT, "our congregation-wide effort to help Central live into our mission to follow Jesus by love God and loving our neighbors."
As the gathered community of Christ through this church, we are entering a season of revitalization and visioning. To bring the Kingdom of Heaven to earth--our commitment when we pray the Lord's Prayer--we all have to move in the same direction, grounded in the same thing: unleashing God's Kingdom by joining God in mission through the church which is an instrument for God's work, grounded in Christ's example, teachings, and self-sacrificing love. The Gentile Christians disdained Jewish Christians and claimed superiority because the Jewish converts were carrying ancient Jewish traditions into their Christian practices. God, through Paul, shows a different perspective. Dietary customs and physical symbols of God's covenant, such as circumcision, weren't inferior or causes for condemnation, but ethnic preferences. Paul exhorted both groups to find harmony, not in agreement in all things, but in one thing: love of God and love of neighbor. To do that, both groups had to let go of their past ways of doing things and converge together in a new way forward.
As we begin the SHIFT process in the new year, we will all have to face letting go of some old ways that are no longer useful for Central to build-up disciples and advance God's Kingdom in today’s reality. In the same way the ancient Hebrew people stood on the banks of the Jordan River after the passing of entire generation who lost faith and courage to cross the first time, we stand on the precipice of the way forward. The floodwaters are reshaping the shores of the modern church, washing away what once was. The riverbank shits beneath our feet is, the water rumbles with change, but happy will be the feet that take the plunge and cross with Christ to herald the good news in new ways. Let's find agreement in disagreement, unity in diversity, and harmony in adaptation as we follow Christ through God's unseen and unfolding plan.